By Everett McCorvey
Between 1810 and 1848, a trio of composers dominated the Italian operatic scene: Gioachino Rossini, Vincenzo Bellini, and Gaetano Donizetti. Their operas were written in a style referred to as bel canto, which literally translates as “beautiful singing.” Bel canto operas are celebrations of the human voice, and performers in this style could typically sing long, slow, and beautiful phrases, then quickly execute fast, spirited melodies with lots of high (and low) notes. The style is also known for its striking ensembles, in which multiple characters sing together with long, exquisite interweaving melodies, commanding our attention with both their collective beauty and dynamic individuality.
The stories in the bel canto tradition are typically easy to follow, and the orchestra provides very light accompaniment, allowing the voice to be the featured instrument. Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti understood very well what their audiences wanted and seized every opportunity to thrill them. Theirs were the people’s operas, and their works elevated the voice as the vehicle for transporting emotion and evoking musical frenzy.
Photo: Lucia di Lammermoor by Karli Cadel/Lyric Opera of Kansas City
One of the most famous operas in the bel canto repertoire is Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, which premiered in 1835 and has been a staple ever since. But what makes it so popular? For me, the most thrilling aspect of the opera is the role of Lucia herself, which is a soprano tour de force. So many great singers have taken it on, and when they’ve succeeded, their reward has typically been a stellar career around the world recreating this desperate, unwilling bride. Lucia’s tragic ending is also the stuff of operatic legend, culminating in the “Mad Scene” (“Il dolce suono”). This is one of the most technically challenging soprano arias in the repertory—a true diva vehicle for any soprano who can conquer its perilous runs, leaps, vocal pyrotechnics, and high-octane vocal gymnastics.
Photo: Karli Cadel/Lyric Opera of Kansas City
When I was a young student, the reigning Lucia was Dame Joan Sutherland. She mastered every turn, every leap, and every virtuosic high note in the role, virtually owning it for more than 25 years. Before her, there was Maria Callas, Adelina Patti, Luisa Tetrazzini, Amelita Galli-Curci, and Lily Pons, whose voice was so high that she actually sang the Mad Scene up a whole step! There have been other famous Lucias, including Gail Robinson, Nellie Melba, June Anderson, Mariella Devia, Sumi Jo, Natalie Dessay, Virginia Zeani, Mattiwilda Dobbs, Beverly Sills, Anna Moffo, and current singers like Anna Netrebko, Nadine Sierra, and South African soprano Pretty Yende, all of whom have mastered the role’s complex challenge. And with this production, we get to witness another dynamic soprano, Raven McMillon, taking on this singular role for the very first time.
Even if you are new to this opera, its beautiful melodies will have you glued to your seat, and it will reveal how riveting and enthralling an opera can be and how the power of the human voice can transport us all to a theatrical experience like no other. I hope you enjoy the ride!
Dr. Everett McCorvey is the OperaLex Endowed Chair of Opera at the University of Kentucky. He is also the founder of the American Spiritual Ensemble and artistic director of the National Chorale in New York City. He enjoys an active career as an impresario, conductor, voice teacher, and mentor to many of today’s young artists.
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